Carling Brewery
London, Ontario, Canada · Est. 1840
Tally's Take
Why this matters
Thomas Carling, a Yorkshire farmer turned soldier, started brewing in London, Ontario in 1840 — seven years before Labatt set up in the same town, which made one small Ontario city the birthplace of both. Carling Black Label went on to become one of the most widely brewed beer brands in the world, licensed across continents, while the company itself dissolved through Carling O'Keefe into Molson. A global brand with almost nothing left of the brewery that made it.
The Museum
Timeline
- 1840Founded
Thomas Carling began commercial brewing operations in London, Ontario.
- 1930Merger
Joined the Brewing Corporation of Ontario, later Canadian Breweries Limited, scaling production into a national enterprise.
- 1934Expansion
Expanded cross-border operations with the opening of a production facility in Cleveland, Ohio.
The People
Behind the beer
Pioneer Ontario brewing family originating from London.
The Beer Library
Beers
Carling Black Label
Year-RoundAmerican Lager
Launched in Canada and now brewed under licence in more countries than most drinkers realise. In Britain it is a top-selling lager; in South Africa it is a different beer entirely under the same name.
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How it changed hands
1 recorded move- 1840Founded
- 1930Merger
Joined the Brewing Corporation of Ontario, later Canadian Breweries Limited, scaling production into a national enterprise.
Today the chain tops out at Molson Coors Beverage Company.
Show your working
Sources
- controlConfirmed
Carling Brewery is controlled by Founder / family.
Molson Coors — SEC DEF 14A Proxy Statement · U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission · 2026-04
PrimaryHigh reliabilityAccessed 2026-08-05Reviewed 2026-08-05
Only the claims above are sourced. Everything else on this page is the archive's own research and has not yet been tied to a document — which is worth knowing rather than hiding.
Straight answers
Common questions about Carling Brewery
- Who owns Carling Brewery?
- Carling Brewery is owned by Molson Coors Beverage Company. Carling Brewery is based in London, Ontario, Canada.
- Is Carling Brewery still independent?
- No. Carling Brewery is owned by Molson Coors Beverage Company and is no longer independent.
- When was Carling Brewery acquired?
- 1930. Joined the Brewing Corporation of Ontario, later Canadian Breweries Limited, scaling production into a national enterprise.
- When was Carling Brewery founded?
- Carling Brewery was founded in 1840 in London, Ontario, Canada.
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